Counselling or Psychotherapy
Counselling or Psychotherapy
What is Counselling and Psychotherapy?
I use the word ‘therapy’ on this website as an umbrella term to cover both Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Counselling tends to focus on a recent problem such as a relationship breakdown, bereavement, or some other life event. Counselling can also offer you a perspective on emotional problems you may have struggled with for a long time. Counselling is usually short to medium term and the sessions are usually on a weekly basis.
Psychotherapy involves working with more complex, deep rooted issues which may have built up over a long period of time, often from childhood. These issues may present themselves as chronic depression, general feelings of sadness or anxiety – which usually requires long term therapy. Psychotherapy can help you explore present circumstances that have become difficult to deal with, past experiences that you find hard to come to terms with, or future events you may be worried about. Psychotherapy can help you make sense of the emotions that are controlling you and the experiences that trigger these emotions. Due to the complexity of these issues, sessions tend to be long term to enable myself and the client to disentangle and work through.
Through the course of Psychotherapy your self-confidence and self-esteem should increase, along with the overall ability to take control of your life.
During our sessions I can offer you further insight into your emotional difficulties by explaining the theories behind your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Some clients find this a useful way to gain a greater understanding of themselves.
I believe all people are individuals, with problems unique to them. My training in Psychotherapy is from an integrative framework which, I believe, offers the most effective form of therapy. This means I can draw upon multiple approaches – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person Centred Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy and tailor my approach to best meet your needs.
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What is the basis of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
CBT is a collaborative form of therapy, meaning the therapist and client work together to develop strategies to work towards mutually agreed goals. CBT is a form of psychotherapy which seeks to make changes to behaviour by changing thoughts and beliefs. Sometimes this may involve the client undertaking homework tasks and full cooperation from the client is required. CBT is a relatively brief form of therapy concerned with present issues rather than analysing past events.
What is the basis of Person Centred Therapy?
This is a non-directive form of therapy, in which the therapist does not offer advice but sessions are led by the client. This allows the client to choose the direction of therapy using the theory that every individual has the answer within themselves. By supporting the client on their therapeutic journey, the main goal is to build up the client’s own coping strategies to allow them to discover their own solutions to their own problems.
What is the basis of Psychodynamic Therapy?
This form of therapy focuses on unconscious thought processes which can manifest in current behaviours. This approach seeks to increase the client’s understanding of how the past influences present thoughts and behaviours, by exploring these unconscious patterns. Clients are encouraged to explore unresolved issues and conflicts.